The Colorado logger was working in the woods alone and his trailer slipped back trapping his foot. After 12 hours he took out his Case Trapper pocket knife and calmly cut off his toes to free himself. He even gathered up his toes and drove himself to the hospital. On the way talking to 911, he was calm and laughed a few times. This guy says he will be back out in the woods in a month or so because he has 15 more loads of woods to get.. Two things about this story......A country boy can survive. Reason #15676 to edc a knife.
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Anyone see the Colorado man that had to cut his toes off with his pocket knife?
- Thread starter mystro
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that's crazy, awesome, but crazy
Bruceter
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You may want to check your facts before posting. Here is a quote from the Denver Post/Associated Press about the incident.
The wiry, 180-pound man told The Associated Press that he began cutting off his toes about 30 minutes later when he realized no one could hear his cries. Hutt said he couldn't reach his cell phone, which was in his truck and out of range anyway.
What amazed me about this story is how matter of fact he was about it in interviews. It didn't seem like a big deal to him at all.
Bruceter
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Yeah, I seen him doing an interview on the tube this morning. Strong and calm man. The lady on 911 said something about him staying on the proper roads for trucks on the way to the hospitle, and thats when he let out a chuckle(from what I remember). I would like to think I could stay calm in a situation like that, but kinda dought I could be as calm as he.
He said the knife was dull by the time he got to the last toe, and that one hurt the most.
He said the knife was dull by the time he got to the last toe, and that one hurt the most.
thanks, I only saw a glimpse of the knife on the Today show this morning. I thought he said he didn't want to be trapped for another 12 hours? He might have meant he didn't want to be trapped for 12 hours? Anyway.......I though it was a great capture of the human spirit.
My family is from Central Pa but we spent 4 great summers in Boulder at the University 30 years ago. Its beautiful state.
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Practical man. He cut his boot away and realized that his toes were completely mashed. There was no point waiting since those toes would have gotten gangrenous, so rather than wait to get weak, he did what he had to do while he still had strength.
After he was rescued. His toes were recovered and taken to the hospital where the doctors agreed that they were in no condition to have been re-attached.
He did the right thing while he was still strong enough to do it.
In the same situation, many if not most may have died while waiting for help. I don't know if I would have had the guts, but I would hope that I do if it happened to me.
After he was rescued. His toes were recovered and taken to the hospital where the doctors agreed that they were in no condition to have been re-attached.
He did the right thing while he was still strong enough to do it.
In the same situation, many if not most may have died while waiting for help. I don't know if I would have had the guts, but I would hope that I do if it happened to me.
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wow. you mean you can do life saving knife work without a 400 dollar knife made from unobtanium? ridiculous. 
I think a lot of people think of the 127 hours thing, but that guy had food and water on him and was probably just lucky he had the strength left to do what he did when he did it. I mean, according to the movie anyway, he was drinking his own urine by the time he cut his arm off. Not to mention, how cold would it have got at dark where this guy was? I know 30-40 degree temperatures aren't that odd in the mountains even during summer. So, no food, no water, very cold, possibly in shock...
Realistically I find it amazing that the guy resolved that's what he needed to do that quickly. He probably could have sat there waiting, wondering if someone would come, what his chances at surviving through the night and next day was, etc. until it was too late for him to even do what he needed to do. I'm not saying I'd have the grit to do it, but I think if you were in that situation where you know all that's keeping you from getting into your truck and driving off was your toes... Well, you might decide they're not worth the risk of "maybe someone will come along eventually".
How long did he spend cutting his toes off anyway? I mean, a couple of hours? Imagine if someone would have wandered upon him in the middle of him cutting...
Morrow
Don't make this weird
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It looked like a 94OT to me. Definitely carbon steel blades...the patina was easy to see on the footage I saw.
:thumbup:
The 'new' imported Old Timers are all stainless steel, so this one was obviously a USA original.
Morrow
Don't make this weird
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Without a doubt...a USA made Old Timer. I like his comments on the knife during the interview I saw...he said.."it's a good knife."
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my first thought after I heard this on the radio was I wonder what kind of knife he used
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Yep it's not all that bad. The toes don't have much feeling in them once they're mashed by a trailer hitch or what have you. Last time I cut my toes off, I was just tired of laying there and wanted to get to the Waffle House and order some biscuits and gravy so off they came. I got a tetanus shot the previous year so all there was left to do was buy some new boots at Wally World and being sure to get a size 13 and swapping out an 11 for the foot w/o the toes!
Boy my wife was po'ed that I wrecked a perfectly good pair of hand repaired socks and blew $40 on a new set of boots. She got even madder because I didn't save the toes and put 'em in mason jar for the mantle over top of the woodburner too! Life's cruel sometimes.
Boy my wife was po'ed that I wrecked a perfectly good pair of hand repaired socks and blew $40 on a new set of boots. She got even madder because I didn't save the toes and put 'em in mason jar for the mantle over top of the woodburner too! Life's cruel sometimes.
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